拍品专文
In the design and execution of its knee carving, this highchest is nearly identical to the famous Van Pelt highchest at the Winterthur Museum (figure 1), placing it among the most sophisticated examples from 18th century Philadelphia. This carving may have been executed by immigrant carver Hercules Courtenay, trained in London and active in Philadelphia c. 1763-c. 1775. In other details and in its overall design it also relates to the Van Pelt highchest, as well as to several other known examples of Philadelphia's most elaborate highchests and chest-on-chests, such as the Potts Family highchest in the Karolik Collection at the MFA Boston (see Hipkiss, Eighteenth Century American Arts (Boston, 1950) cat. no. 33), the Stevenson-Phillips Family example (see figure 2) sold Christie's New York, January, 1998 lot 448, and an example formerly in the collection of Mabel Brady Garvan, sold Christie's New York, January, 1997, lot 221 (see figure 3). In keeping with the Joseph Moulder highchest, these examples incorporate scrolled pediments with squashed circular openings, extensive applied carving on their tympanums, richly figured veneers on the thumb-molded drawer fronts, and the design of the carved and applied shells of their lower drawers. In the facing C-scroll design of its skirt, it is nearly identical to the Stevenson-Phillips example, and the carved cartouche is closely related to a chest-on-chest that also incorporates similar applied carving on the tympanum (see Israel Sack advertisement, Antiques, January 1956, frontispiece). In the design of the shell-carved drawers, it relates to the Hollingsworth pair of highchests and dressing tables by Thomas Affleck (one matched set on loan to the Philadelphia Museum of Art, the other sold Christie's New York, January 1998, lot 501).
This chest descended from Joseph Moulder (1722-1779) of Philadelphia, who is listed in the Proprietary Tax Rolls of 1764 as a joiner. This suggests that he could have had some role in its manufacture, but little is known of Moulder's professional life. It is known that he served as a captain in the Continental Army, and he was among the soldiers who crossed the Delaware River to engage in the battle of Trenton. Evidence of the provenance of this highchest from the Metropolitan Museum of Art's files includes a statement by Gerard R. Vogels, quoted by Heckscher, p. 253:
This is to certify that the case of Mahoginy Drawers and Two high back chairs purchased by you of me this day were originally the property of my Great Grandfather Jos Moulder who served as Captain of Artillery during our Revolution. Captain Moulder crossed the Delaware to Trenton N.J. with Genl. Washington. The above named articles were inherited by me and May be fully relied upon as above represented-
Gerard R. Vogles
To F. Keller
At the time of his death in 1779, Moulder's estate included "I Chest of Drawers 15-0-0", likely the highchest offered here. His estate inventory also includes reference to the matching dressing table, listed as "1 Mahogany dressing Table 2-0-0." This dressing table, the apparent mate to the highchest offered here, is now in the collections of the Baltimore Museum of Art (see advertisement in Antiques, February, 1949, p. 106).
This chest descended from Joseph Moulder (1722-1779) of Philadelphia, who is listed in the Proprietary Tax Rolls of 1764 as a joiner. This suggests that he could have had some role in its manufacture, but little is known of Moulder's professional life. It is known that he served as a captain in the Continental Army, and he was among the soldiers who crossed the Delaware River to engage in the battle of Trenton. Evidence of the provenance of this highchest from the Metropolitan Museum of Art's files includes a statement by Gerard R. Vogels, quoted by Heckscher, p. 253:
This is to certify that the case of Mahoginy Drawers and Two high back chairs purchased by you of me this day were originally the property of my Great Grandfather Jos Moulder who served as Captain of Artillery during our Revolution. Captain Moulder crossed the Delaware to Trenton N.J. with Genl. Washington. The above named articles were inherited by me and May be fully relied upon as above represented-
Gerard R. Vogles
To F. Keller
At the time of his death in 1779, Moulder's estate included "I Chest of Drawers 15-0-0", likely the highchest offered here. His estate inventory also includes reference to the matching dressing table, listed as "1 Mahogany dressing Table 2-0-0." This dressing table, the apparent mate to the highchest offered here, is now in the collections of the Baltimore Museum of Art (see advertisement in Antiques, February, 1949, p. 106).